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Oat, Oat Bran & Walnut Bread (燕麥，核桃麵包／多士)

Most people eat bread every day, except those on a special diet, such as the Atkins Diet, they totally ignore carbohydrates.

But if you choose wisely, bread can still be healthy. We can choose to use: oats, oat bran, wheat bran, wholemeal flour, rye flour, buckwheat flour, spelt flour, semolina flour, multi-seeds and nuts. Those have more fibre and nutrition than white flour. They can lower our cholesterol intake and feel fuller after eating them.

I learnt this recipe from one of my favourite bloggers: Carol, she is a wonderful baker, she doesn’t use any additives or flavouring agents in her cooking and baking.

Method: ( A ) Put the boiling water and oats into a bowl, mix together.

Cover with a lid or cloth and leave it about 15 minutes.

Put the walnuts in a wok. Dry fry it for about 10 minutes, until it’s golden brown. Set aside for later.

Put the (A) and (B) ingredients into a large mixing bowl, except the walnuts. Knead it for about 7-8 minutes to form a dough. ( You need to reserve 20-30ml of the water first, then when the dough formed, add the remaining water a few times into the dough. The more water you add in the dough, the bread will be more softer when it come out of the oven. )

This is another way to knead the dough: hold part of the dough tightly and throw it on the table, fold it over and turn it 90 degrees. Repeat this action for 200 – 250 times, the dough will become more elastic and smooth. To test the dough is well knead, you can tear a little of the dough and try to pull slightly from all direction and the dough is like a thin cloth or like muslin. When it pass the test, it can continue the next step.

Pull the dough a little flat on the table, and spread the toasted walnut on it. Fold the dough again and again to keep the walnuts inside the dough.

Then fold the dough like a ball shape, put it in a oiled bowl and spray the top with fresh water but not much.

Now, you can have few ways to proof the dough until double the size. (1). put it into the oven with a pot of hot water if the weather is cold. But need to check the water after a certain of time, because it will get cold, then change to another pot of hot water. ( 2 ). It is the easier way to do, if the weather is hot enough, just leave it in a room temperature and cover with cling film, it will rise to double the size automatically.

It need to proof about 60 minutes more and less, it depends on the weather. When it is done, sprinkle some flour on the worktop and put the dough on it, slightly lock down the air out from the dough.

Roll the dough like a ball shape again and cover with a damp clean cloth and rest on the table for about 15 minutes.

Roll the rested dough into a rectangle shape about 35 cm, (the width can fit in your loaf tin) , then roll from the far shorter end to your side end, put into the loaf tin with the seal side downward.

Slightly spray some water on top and sprinkle the oats on top.

The make the second time proofing for about 50 to 60 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 210°C/ 410°F/ gas mark 6 1/2, ( fan oven 190°C)

Take the dough out before 10 minutes before the proof time finish.

Bake in the oven for about 40 minutes until golden brown on top.

Take it out and take off the tin, cool down on a wire rack and tap the bottom of the loaf , if it sounds hollow, then it is done, if not, put it back into the oven and bake for another 5 minutes. If the top is too brown, you can cover it with a sheet of cling film.

Let the loaf cool down completely and it will slice easily.

Tips:

You can add other kind of nuts or dried fruits into this bread.

If you want add more healthy flour, then you can mix by your own, it just only make it up to the total amount : 270g.

When you knead the dough is too sticky, try your best not to put too much flour in it, the result will be difference.

If you like, use your bread machine, they will do the hard work for you, just peace of mind. But if you knead it yourself, just like challenge your baking skill, it is hard work but fun.